Monday, June 9, 2008 – 62.67 miles, 04:02:15, 15.52 MPH average

After a few sprinkles of rain just after we turned in, the wind died down and it turned cool, and for the first time on the trip, it was easy to get a good night’s sleep. With a somewhat short day ahead of us, and nice weather predicted, we resolved to get a late start and enjoy the trip. But with everyone packing up tents around you, it’s harder than you’d think to sleep in, and we were up and around by 7:00am or so.

But breakfast took care of the late start for us. After parking the bikes at the old drive-in cafe, we placed our orders, took a seat inside, and waited, and waited, and waited some more. The cafe was overwhelmed with cyclists, and it took at least an hour to get our food. Oh well, it was worth the wait.

All Kinds of Cycles
All Kinds of Cycles at Breakfast in Norton

Once on the road, the wind was a pleasant surprise, hardly noticeable early in the day, and providing a welcome push later in the morning.

Lunch was in Phillipsburg, where we enjoyed apple pie and lemonade on the town square in front of the courthouse.

The terrain today transitioned from rugged pastureland to farm crops — wheat, corn, and soybeans, as well as hay being cut and baled. The wheat here is a bit further along than it is further west, just starting to ripen and turn the gold/green color I love so much.

The Road East of Phillipsburg
The Road East of Phillipsburg

Pushed along by the helpful wind, the remainder of the ride passed quickly and almost effortlessly, with only a few mild hills, and we reached Smith Center by 2:00pm.

After getting settled in, we tooled around town for a bit, taking in the sights.

Old Dutch Mill in Smith Center
Old Dutch Mill in Smith Center

Supper was beer and a huge plate of spaghetti at a local pub, followed by live entertainment at the school. I had a chance to enjoy a bit of Internet access provided by the school, but I was a bit slow on the draw with the homemade ice cream being offered outside. I bellied up to the table just as they were scraping the last bits of goodness from the ice cream buckets. Dang!

Tomorrow, we head south for a bit, then east, passing by Waconda Lake. The forecast is calling for strong southerly winds, so we’re planning on an early start in hopes of beating the breeze.